The child stood hands on hips torso slightly bent forward as he glared at the clerk anger clearly radiating from his small frame, trying to look intimidating despite his small stature. The list that had been sent to him for his supplies had listed that cauldrons were used and that first years like himself needed a number two pewter cauldron. The standard cauldron had been what the boy had come in to purchase, until the person ahead of him changed his mind.
While waiting in the queue, Ashley couldn't help but overhear or notice that girl ahead of him was getting a slightly larger cauldron of a different element. The girl had purchased a silver cauldron with no problem. The clerk had just handed it over no questions asked. Yet, when the eleven year old tried to purchase the same, he was denied.
"Why not:?" Ashley demanded when the clerk stated that he could not have a silver number five cauldron.
The clerk gave a long suffering sigh as if he was asked that on a regular basis and was put upon to have to always answer. In a bored tone of voice the adult simply answered, "You're a first year."
Narrowing his brown eyes the boy coldly stated, "So? What does that have to do with anything?"
Once again the clerk sighed, gave the boy a look that clearly asked if Ashley was a bit slow. "Look, obviously you don't know anything about Potions. If you did you would know that depending on the metal of the cauldron that the potion is being made in depends on what you're brewing."
Crossing his arms, the boy refused to give in. A bit belligerent he asked, "You're giving me a lesson instead of answering my question because?"
Voice and face now showing irritation and clearly wanting to kick the rude boy out of the store, the clerk settled for sneering at the child. Then schooling his features back to that of a professional, replied, "First years won't be brewing anything requiring a higher grade cauldron. Since a lot of Muggleborns clearly need to be taught how to brew a decent potion, First Years are only taught the basics."
Clearly the man was labeling Ashley as one of those 'Muggleborns' because of his ignorance of the grade and quality of cauldrons was lacking. Hands going to hips, the boy tried his utter best to give the man a glare that showed how angry he was. Lips thinning he coldly stated, "I'll have you know I was performing magic as early as four! I am not a Muggleborn!"
The man waved his hand lazily, dismissing the boy's claim. "I don't care if you declared you were descended from Merlin himself. You're not getting anything but a cauldron made of pewter sized two."
The soon to be Hogwarts student had half a mind to turn and never do business with this person ever again. There was bound to be another cauldron shop and they would likely sell him the cauldron he wanted. Brown eyes turned glacial and narrowed even more when the clerk's lips turned up in a knowing smile.
As if he could read the boy's mind he stated, "We're the only shop in Diagon that you can buy a cauldron from. You could try down Knockturn Alley, but I can't gaurentee the quality of the cauldron you'd buy. " The man shrugged indifferently which was belied by the look in his eyes and expression of self-satisfaction. "So what will it be kid?"
Wanting to rip that bloody smile off his face, the eleven year old glared and sullenly replied, "Just give me the bloody cauldron."
